Salvage auction purchase, 2010 Mercedes ML 350

[RhondaHonda]

". I wonder how many wiring harnesses are replaced because of time, not troubleshoot instead.

Having worked in insurance in the past I can say that it was always replacement, which can total a car quickly. Nobody wanted to spend the diagnostic time, especially with someone that may not know what they are doing. I think you are probably right in that the harness was damaged during repair and the shop couldn’t figure it out.

 

[GON]

All plastic back in. Missing one piece of plastic and a cargo hook.

Have to do a deep cleaning, but here she is this morning.

 

[Nukeman7]

Great work on repairing this ML 350, GON. I'd say this was one of your best finds and restorations..as they say: "No risk- No reward".

Your friend's daughter will be delighted with her soon-to-be new ride.

 

[dogememe]

That’s a great deal and good work. Nice job!

 

[GON]

Installed the replacement rear latch assembly. Oem $300+, Chinese knock off from Amazon, $35, Went with the AMZN more to be hassle free than the savings. Installed just fine. The rear hatch now opens with the remote and the hatch handle. Hatch closes just find via a push button. Needed a rivet and a rivet tool to install, which I had from replacing a window actuator in a S class about six years ago. Nice to not have to go shopping for a rivet.

Car appears 100 percent mechanically functional. Need to replace passenger running board, oil change, and state inspection. I will start driving tomorrow to validate what I believe is accurate- car is fully functional.

I am starting to speculate the problem with the rear hatch is what caused all the blown fuses. Two screws were missing from the rear hatch trim, and the connector tieing the rear hatch to the fuse box will also cut, and the connector missing.

 

[loneryder]

Hope that Chinese latch holds up for you.

 

[cptbarkey]

You could make a career out of this, great job with documenting and troubleshooting. Very impressive.

 

[GON]

Almost at the ending of this thread. SUV is in Little Rock and gets a red bow for delivery tonight. $3,200 all in.

Drove flawless from Seattle to Little Rock. Huge thunderstorm in the rocky mountains, flooded roads, drove like a AWD trooper.

Zero issues whatsoever. Huge confidence giving car to a 16 year old teenager. She should be very happy in a hour.

 

[RhondaHonda]

Almost at the ending of this thread. SUV is in Little Rock and gets a red bow for delivery tonight. $3,200 all in.

Drove flawless from Seattle to Little Rock. Huge thunderstorm in the rocky mountains, flooded roads, drove like a AWD trooper.

Zero issues whatsoever. Huge confidence giving car to a 16 year old teenager. She should be very happy in a hour.

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Awesome car for anyone, let alone a 16 year old. Nice work and a great contribution!

 

[GON]

Birthday girl out for a test drive.

 

[gfh77665]

$3,200 all in.

You do great work, and apparently you enjoy it. Someone mentioned making it a career. I have to ask, when you say things like "$3,200 all in", does that include flights, rentals, fuel, tools, and all the ancillary expenses you incur in these adventures?

 

[LDB]

That is a great looking car and $3200 is amazing. I'd be glad to get it at double that. Maybe if I had half your talent and skill.

 

[GON]

You do great work, and apparently you enjoy it. Someone mentioned making it a career. I have to ask, when you say things like "$3,200 all in", does that include flights, rentals, fuel, tools, and all the ancillary expenses you incur in these adventures?

Good morning, thank you. The $3200 is all costs to get the car to pass inspection and fully operational. The transport costs to the new owner are not part of the $3200..

 

[GON]

That is a great looking car and $3200 is amazing. I'd be glad to get it at double that. Maybe if I had half your talent and skill.

Ldb, thanks but I suspect you and most on BITOG have double/triple my skill. I am still trying to understand oil ratings.

What may make it look "easy" is two things. I invest a lot of time trying to locate a car that was in a tragedy, but was a real nice car before the tragedy. The next is I am never in a hurry to fix. Although I don't, I can take all the time I need to for diagnosis and repair. If I needed to "turn" the car quickly, the story might end up much more costly.

 

[LDB]

Ldb, thanks but I suspect you and most on BITOG have double/triple my skill. I am still trying to understand oil ratings.

What may make it look "easy" is two things. I invest a lot of time trying to locate a car that was in a tragedy, but was a real nice car before the tragedy. The next is I am never in a hurry to fix. Although I don't, I can take all the time I need to for diagnosis and repair. If I needed to "turn" the car quickly, the story might end up much more costly.

It may be true of most but I'm an outlier. I have no skill in that area and no tools either although I could buy tools and gradually build skill probably. Then there's the lack of anywhere to work. And it being way too hot. So I just enjoy my a/c and following those far more qualified such as yourself.

 

[GON]

Awesome car for anyone, let alone a 16 year old. Nice work and a great contribution!

Rh, yes a nice car for anyone. I much prefer driving this 2010 ml350 over my wife's 2014 RDX. The RDX is a wonderful vehicle, but this ML350 has that Mercedes feel that just does not happen in Japanese cars. Sounds weird, but I drive dozen of rentals a year, love the Japanese quality, but the feel of. Mercedes is very different than a Toyota or Honda.

 

[MCompact]

Rh, yes a nice car for anyone. I much prefer driving this 2010 ml350 over my wife's 2014 RDX. The RDX is a wonderful vehicle, but this ML350 has that Mercedes feel that just does not happen in Japanese cars. Sounds weird, but I drive dozen of rentals a year, love the Japanese quality, but the feel of. Mercedes is very different than a Toyota or Honda.

I agree 100%.

 

[We're Metals]

Wow! great looking SUV

 

[loneryder]

This will spoil her having this vehicle for her first. Down the road she'll be looking to buy another car. When she drives Ford. Chevy's, Honda or Toyota, she will notice the difference in the noise, vibration, harshness dept.